Receptacles are designed to receive fluid from nozzles. One example of a receptacle is a car gasoline port. One example of a nozzle is a gasoline dispenser at a gas station. Some fluids, such as liquid natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) are transferred via specialized nozzles and receptacles.
LNG may be stored in liquid form at cryogenic temperatures (e.g., −150 degrees C. or −238 degrees F.). During the transferring process between nozzle and receptacle, a portion of LNG may heat up and vaporize into gas. This gas expands to occupy all accessible areas of the nozzle and receptacle. When the transferring process is complete, a portion of the vaporized gas will remain in the receptacle. When the nozzle is eventually disconnected from the receptacle, this remaining gas vents into ambient atmosphere.
CNG may be stored under high pressures. During the transferring process between nozzle and receptacle, CNG may expand and occupy all accessible areas of the nozzle and receptacle. When the transferring process is complete, a portion of the gas will remain in the receptacle. When the nozzle is eventually disconnected from the receptacle, this remaining gas vents into ambient atmosphere. Thus, a new receptacle is needed that reduces the amount of fluid vented into atmosphere when a nozzle disconnects from the receptacle.
FIGS. 1, 1A, and 1B illustrate a prior art receptacle. This receptacle 10 has been sold as the Macro Technologies Model 13990. Receptacle 10 includes a body 1 having a flange 6 and terminating in a fitting 8. A poppet 2 is slidably disposed in body 1. A retainer 4 is held thereon by retaining ring 3, and a seal 5 is mounted to poppet 2. Spring 7 is also disposed inside body 1 and provides a spring force against poppet 2. Such receptacles are used with a nozzle (also called a coupler), as shown in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 9,194,524, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.